In information technology a backup, or the process of backing up, refers to the copying and archiving of computer data so it may be used to restore the original data after a data loss event. The primary purpose of a backup is to be able to recover data after the data has been deleted or corrupted. Another purpose of backups may be to recover data from an earlier time, according to a user-defined data retention policy, typically configured within a backup application for how long copies of data are required. Before data is sent to its storage location, it is selected, extracted, and manipulated. Many different techniques have been developed to optimize the backup procedure. Current methods for initiating data backups may include scheduling data backup, automatic copying of data to external storage devices, manual selection and copying of data to various storage devices, and paying for an external company to perform and store data.
However, current methods of data backup may perform the data backup without taking into account the health of the primary hard disk or the health of the secondary backup storage device. Furthermore, frequent backups performed to a secondary harddrive may prematurely wear out the secondary harddrive. Additionally, the current methods of data backup may be an input/output (I/O) intense process depending on the size and scope of the data area being backed up as well as the method being utilized to perform the data backup process. As such, system performance may be compromised by frequently backing up data areas.